News July 2007

The first, Moscow round of the preparation of National team for the European Championship comes to the end. One of the last practices was open for the journalists. But it wasn’t an easy work but a really grueling training. Vitaly FRIDZON told how he feels in the National team and what is it: to work in a heavy schedule, 4 hours of practices every day.

The Moscow Region coach’s staff was replenished by the new trainer – Dmitry SHAKULIN. Earlier he worked in Dynamo M, Dynamo MR and in the Russian Junior Team (as an assistant, and as an acting head coach). As a player Shakulin had won medals of USSR, Russia and Europe more than once.

Russian team headed by Aleksey Vadeev at the European U16 Championship in Greece won the last game against Portugal — 72-39 — (16-8-16, 12-9, 16-14, 28-8). Our players guaranteed the right to play in the Division A next year. And Serbia became the winner of the tournament.

The BC Khimki head coach is in the homeland, but in spite of being on leave he doesn’t get away from basketball. Kestutis KEMZURA is up on the news and receives it not only from the Media. After the examination of the Daniel Ewing video and files, the coach not once has communicated with his new wander ship.

The Moscow Region club signed a two years contract with the American guard Daniel Ewing. A 23-years player after graduating the university was drafted by Los-Angeles Clippers, where he spent two seasons. Less than one year Daniel visited our country in the context of NBA Live Tour, has met his future teammates and gave a master class for young sportsmen in Khimki Basketball Center.

Russian team yielded two first matches at the European U16 Championship in Greece. The third game our players won, bit it was not enough for to continue the challenge for medals. Aleksey Vadeev s men who finished second in this tournament in 2004 and 2006 crashed out in the preliminary round even thought they shared the same win-loss record as both Croatia and Latvia in Group D.

Last summer was marked by heart-break. Nobody and never can imagine it. Russian basketball had an irreplaceable loss: in a car crash not far from Samara along with his wife and her parents the BC Khimki and The Russian National team forward Alexander Petrenko was killed. Only the daughter, Sasha 8-years old, escaped her life. Petrenko was only 30…

The Russian Team U16 headed by Aleksey Vadeev went to Greece, where from 20th to 29 of July will pass the Cadet European Championship. The goal of our players is to challenge for medals. And it is best to exceed last year result in Spain. At the time only one circumstance prevented Russian players to win gold medals…

Today is the 58th birthday of BC Khimki reserves coach Oleg Kim!
The titled coach earned medals with teams that couldn’t compete with top clubs of USSR and Russia in financial possibility not once. He has a reputation one of the best native junior coaches. Exactly Kim opened such basketball stars as Valery Tikhonenko, Yuri Gukanenko, Alexander Petrenko, Oleg Meleschenko and others.
The BC Khimki management, players and coaches congratulate him on his birthday. We wish the coach happiness, health and success.